Suggesting and/or providing targeting information for advertisements

Abstract

The relevancy of ads may be increased, and opportunities to serve an ad that might otherwise be missed may be exploited by (i) accepting broad targeting information, to be used for serving an ad, from an advertiser, (ii) serving the ad using the broad targeting information, (iii) logging search query terms (or some other information, such as concepts, concept keywords, etc.) associated with the serving of the ad, and (iv) generating one or more candidate targeting keywords or phrases for the ad using the logged search query terms. At least one of the candidate targeting keywords or phrases may be provided as targeting information for the ad. Alternatively, at least one of the candidate targeting keywords or phrases may be presented to the advertiser. Advertiser input with respect to the candidate targeting keyword(s) or phrase(s) presented may then be accepted. Zero or more of the candidate targeting keyword(s) or phrase(s) may be provided as targeting information for the ad, in accordance with the accepted advertiser input. Cost information (e.g., average cost per selection, average cost per conversion, total costs, etc.) may be presented in association with the candidate targeting information.

1 . A computer-implemented method comprising: 
 a) accepting broad targeting information, to be used for serving an ad, from an advertiser;    b) serving the ad using the broad targeting information;    c) logging search query terms associated with the serving of the ad; and    d) generating one or more candidate targeting keywords or phrases for the ad using the logged search query terms.    
     
     
         2 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 e) providing at least one of the candidate targeting keywords or phrases as targeting information for the ad.    
     
     
         3 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 e) presenting at least one of the candidate targeting keywords or phrases to the advertiser;    f) accepting advertiser input with respect to the at least one candidate targeting keyword or phrase presented; and    g) associating zero or more of the candidate targeting keywords or phrases as targeting information for the ad, in accordance with the accepted advertiser input.    
     
     
         4 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 3  wherein the act of presenting at least one of the candidate targeting keywords or phrases presents each of the candidate targeting keywords or phrases in association with a corresponding ad impression count.  
     
     
         5 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 3  wherein the act of presenting at least one of the candidate targeting keywords or phrases presents each of the candidate targeting keywords or phrases in association with a corresponding ad selection count.  
     
     
         6 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 3  wherein the act of presenting at least one of the candidate targeting keywords or phrases presents each of the candidate targeting keywords or phrases in association with a corresponding ad conversion count.  
     
     
         7 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 3  wherein the act of presenting at least one of the candidate targeting keywords or phrases presents each of the candidate targeting keywords or phrases in association with a corresponding ad performance.  
     
     
         8 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 3  wherein the act of presenting at least one of the candidate targeting keywords or phrases presents each of the candidate targeting keywords or phrases in association with a corresponding average price per selection.  
     
     
         9 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 3  wherein the act of presenting at least one of the candidate targeting keywords or phrases presents each of the candidate targeting keywords or phrases in association with a corresponding average price per conversion.  
     
     
         10 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 3  wherein the act of presenting at least one of the candidate targeting keywords or phrases presents each of the candidate targeting keywords or phrases in association with a corresponding total amount to be paid for the ad.  
     
     
         11 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 3  wherein the act of presenting at least one of the candidate targeting keywords presents each of the candidate targeting keywords or phrases in association with a corresponding ad impression count, and wherein the candidate targeting keywords or phrases are presented in an order in accordance with the corresponding ad impression count.  
     
     
         12 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 3  wherein the act of presenting at least one of the candidate targeting keywords or phrases presents each of the candidate targeting keywords or phrases in association with a corresponding ad selection count, and wherein the candidate targeting keywords or phrases are presented in an order in accordance with the corresponding ad selection count.  
     
     
         13 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 3  wherein the act of presenting at least one of the candidate targeting keywords or phrases presents each of the candidate targeting keywords or phrases in association with a corresponding total amount to be paid for the ad, and wherein the candidate targeting keywords or phrases are presented in an order in accordance with the corresponding total amount to be paid.  
     
     
         14 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1  wherein the act of accepting broad targeting information includes accepting broad targeting keywords from the advertiser.  
     
     
         15 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1  wherein the act of accepting broad targeting information includes accepting an ad creative from the advertiser, and inferring broad targeting information from the ad creative.  
     
     
         16 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1  wherein the act of accepting broad targeting information includes accepting ad landing page information from the advertiser, and inferring broad targeting information from the ad landing page.  
     
     
         17 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 associating ad serve parameters with the logged search query terms.    
     
     
         18 . A computer-implemented method comprising: 
 a) accepting broad targeting information, to be used for serving an ad, from an advertiser;    b) serving the ad using the broad targeting information;    c) logging information associated with the serving of the ad; and    d) generating candidate targeting information for the ad using the logged information.    
     
     
         19 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 18  wherein the logged information includes concepts.  
     
     
         20 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 18  further comprising: 
 e) generating cost information using the logged information.    
     
     
         21 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 20  wherein the cost information is average cost per selection information associated with the candidate targeting information.  
     
     
         22 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 20  wherein the cost information is average cost per conversion information associated with the candidate targeting information.  
     
     
         23 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 20  wherein the cost information is a total cost associated with the candidate targeting information.  
     
     
         24 . Apparatus comprising: 
 a) means for accepting broad targeting information, to be used for serving an ad, from an advertiser;    b) means for serving the ad using the broad targeting information;    c) means for logging search query terms associated with the serving of the ad; and    d) means for generating one or more candidate targeting keywords or phrases for the ad using the logged search query terms.    
     
     
         25 . Apparatus comprising: 
 a) means for accepting broad targeting information, to be used for serving an ad, from an advertiser;    b) means for serving the ad using the broad targeting information;    c) means for logging information associated with the serving of the ad; and    d) means for generating candidate targeting information for the ad using the logged information.